[22 6i 
A. No. 2. ^ 
Fort Atkinson, 
July 3, 1823. 
Dear General : How painful it is for me to tell, and you to hear 
of the barbarity of the Indians! They continue to deceive and mur- 
der the most enterprizing of our people; and if we continue to forbear, 
if we do not discover a greater spirit of resentment, this river will be 
discoloured with our blood. 
The defeat of General Ashley by the Aricaras, and departure of 
the troops to his relief had scarcely gone to you, when an express 
arrived announcing the defeat, by the Blackfoot Indians near the 
Yellow Stone River, of the Missouri Fur Company's Yellow Stone 
or Mountain Expedition, commanded by Messrs. Jones and Immel, 
both of whom, with five of their men, are among the slain. All their 
property, to the amount of Si 5,000, fell into the hands of the enemy. 
To add to General Ashley's catalogue of misfortunes, the Blackfoot 
Indians have recently defeated a party of eleven and killed four of 
Major Henry's men, near his establishment at the mouth of the Yel- 
low Stone. The express goes to state that many circumstances, of 
which I will be officially informed in a few days, have transpired to 
induce a belief that the British traders (Hudson Bay Company) are 
exciting the Indians against us, to either drive us from that quarter, 
or reap with Indians the fruits of our labor. I was in hopes 
that the British Indian Traders had some bounds to their rapacity. 
I was in hopes that during the late Indian War, in which they were 
so instrumental in the indiscriminate massacre of our people, that 
they were completely satisfied with our blood; but it appears not to 
have been the case — like the greedy wolf, not satisfied with the flesh, 
they quarrel over the bones. They ravage our fields, and are unwil- 
ling that we should glean them. Although barred by the treaty of 
Ghent from participating in our Indian trade, they presume, and 
are not satisfied to do so. But becoming alarmed at the individual 
enterprise of our people, they are exciting the Indians against them, 
Tjjey furnish them with the instruments of death, and a passport to 
our bosoms, Immel had great experience of the Indian character; 
but, poor fellow, with a British passport they at last deceived him, 
and he fell a victim to his own credulity, and his scalp, with those 
of his comrades, are now bleeding on their way to the British trading 
establishments. Another of General Ashley's wounded is dead, making 
fifteen men killed by the Aricaras, and eleven by the Blackfeet; in 
all, known to be killed by the Indians within the last two or three 
months, twenty-six effective men; and I estimate the amount of propei*- 
ty lost in those conflicts at ^20,000, besides a number of horses, kc. 
Tlie Ottoes, and Missouries, and have been to see mo, 
and as usual profess great friendship, &c.; but, with the rest of the 
neighbouring tribes, are anxiously looking and listening to know 
how we, the whites, are going to get out of this scrape. I am still 
much indisposed, and cannot enjoy health here. 
